THE Swans Reserves have suffered their second loss of the season, falling to second-placed Ainslie by 67 points at Ainslie Oval in Canberra.
The Swans went into the game undermanned with just 12 listed players and by the end had ten, after Kristin Thornton left the field at half time and Ed Barlow went off in the final term.
Daniel Currie was also missing for much of the game, after being restricted to 15 minutes a quarter because he was returning from injury.
Sam Reid was again the Swans’ best playing in the ruck. He collected 23 possessions while Nathan Gordon, 27 possessions, and Dylan McNeil, 23 possessions, were also named in the best players.
The Swans were six points down at the first break after being kept to just two goals for the quarter. Ainslie opened the term with the first two goals before McNeil kicked a goal across his body from 30 metres. After Ainslie kicked their third for the quarter, Swans’ top-up player Sam Smith goaled from a free kick.
The Swans fought hard in the second term but wasted a number of opportunities, kicking five behinds in the first 15 minutes. Again Ainslie kicked the first two goals. At the 19 minute mark Byron Sumner goaled from 30 metres out for the Swans after a strong mark, and a few minutes later scholarship player Mitch May kick one after a free kick for a strong tackle.
Ainslie kicked one more goal before the end of term and led the Swans by 10 points at half time.
Thornton left the field with what looked like a hamstring injury and did not return in the second half.
Although Reid had a very strong third quarter, the margin had blown out to 34 points by three quarter time after Ainslie kicked six goals to the Swans’ two.
Ainslie kicked the opening two goals. The Swans’ first goal for the quarter came in the sixth minute, when Lewis Johnston marked a Sumner pass on the lead and goaled from 50 metres. Ainslie kicked their fourth before Johnston kicked his second, almost identical to his first though the pass this time came from Ed Barlow, and he was 60 metres out. Ainslie piled on three more goals before the three quarter time siren.
The final term was all Ainslie after the Swans lost their second listed player, when Barlow left the field after a knock to the head. Ainslie kicked three goals before the Swans managed their only goal for the quarter which came through top-up player Daniel Campbell when he received a free kick in the goal square. Ainslie added another three goals to their score before the end of the game.
The Swans Reserves will now meet Eastlake on Saturday 31 July at 3:50pm at ANZ Stadium as the curtain-raiser to the main game against Geelong. The team has a bye next week.
Final Scores:
Swans Reserves - 2.3 (15) 4.8 (32) 6.11 (47) 7.11 (53)
Ainslie - 3.3 (21) 6.6 (42) 12.9 (81) 18.12 (120)
Goals: Johnston 2; Campbell, May, McNeil, Smith, Sumner
Best: Reid, Gordon, McNeil
